Floyd Woodrow - SAS Major, business leader and author

One of the youngest soldiers ever to have been selected for the elite SAS, Floyd Woodrow retired as a Major after over 3 decades of service and is now a successful business leader, renowned speaker on leadership and performance coaching worldwide.
 
Floyd has an incredible track record of success as a Military Leader, Director, Non-Executive Director, Consultant and Negotiator.
 
Floyd is challenging, supportive and totally committed to developing elite teams and individuals as well as offering practical and commercial value in strategic planning and execution.

Floyd has authored a number of books which can all be understood better through his website www.floydwoodrow.com

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:37

Okay, uh this morning um we've got Floyd Woodrow on the podcast. And and for those people that may not know who who Floyd is, I'm sure some people do. Um, certainly if you look on the internet with Floyd Woodrow, you'll find quite a bit of stuff. But he's currently the managing director of a founder of Chrysalis Worldwide, which is a world leading values-based organization, uh, and a number of other fintech uh companies. Is he's got an established reputation for designing and running leadership and elite performance training in sports, business, police, and education. But Floyd, as I as I talk to you now, well, firstly, welcome to the podcast.

SPEAKER_00 1:16

Thank you, Gary.

SPEAKER_01 1:17

No, welcome. Um, but like I was about to say, where um you've got a fairly unique journey. All of that is very impressive. And where you've got an almost uh unique journey is is one where our paths originally met, and one that's was your former military, and more specifically, you've got a distinguished, incredibly distinguished career in the SES. And I'm genuinely looking forward to, I say this to a lot of my guests, but uh today's uh in particular, I'm genuinely looking forward to um talking to you all around all of your experiences. Um, and I think you've got a lot to add to our um listeners. So so you know, you're very warm welcome, Floyd.

SPEAKER_00 1:51

No, thank you. I'm looking forward to speaking again. It's been, as I said, a while since we were we were together on that journey. So I'm actually looking forward to hearing what your thoughts were on that journey as well.

SPEAKER_01 2:00

Yeah, no, no, me, uh absolutely. This is it's not often we get to kick these topics around. And again, this is fairly unique in the sense. Again, for just for context for people listening, when I went through special forces selection, Floyd was the training officer, which for people that got no idea what that is, it's the person in charge of that particular process. And and and you'll hopefully be able to add some more meat to the bones on there. So we probably saw that journey through very different lens at the time. Um, as I've gone in through my career, um, I've I guess I've I've kind of seen it from your position more as well. So, yeah, it's going to be exciting. So, so Floyd, I've given people listening a bit of an overview, uh mumbled my way through it, but do you mind adding a bit of meat to the bones with that? So, could you tell us a little bit about your your background and your journey to where you are now?

SPEAKER_00 2:46

Yeah, of course I can. So, I was born in Bradford, in West Yorkshire, um, to a brilliant family. Um, my mum was massively entrepreneurial. She ran the first nightclub in in Bradford. She was um somebody who was quite driven and also looking for opportunities. So a lot of the family revolved around her. She was a matriarch. My father um was a very talented salesman, worked in a wholesale fruit and veg company called JW Swithern Banks, where I went to work when I was very, very young. And what I got to see was how to communicate, how to again seize opportunity, um, but also the work ethic that my my whole family probably went through. I have four brothers as well. Um, but I was also really driven with sport, first of all. I kind of wanted to be an athlete, and I still love sport, and that's been a foundation of a large part of my life. Um, and then I wanted to be a PE teacher because I think obviously we change and we grow, but then I had a great desire to go into the military and I was really focused from a really early age of going into parachute regiment. I was really clear that's where I wanted to start, and then I wanted to be in the special air service. I also had timelines on those things as well. I was really specific, 18, 22. Um, and then I went, I was very fortunate. I joined uh both those organizations at 18 and at 22. Um, but of course, what I learned, and one of the key themes about our discussion will be about potential, because at 22, I was not the finished article. And it's interesting, which will be great when we talk about this. At 22, I realized that actually I wasn't the most experienced or the strongest or the fittest. Um my learning curve on selection was vertical. But I was selection on my potential, and actually I was really keen throughout my time as training officer that people were really clear. I'm not looking for the perfect soldier here, I'm looking for somebody that passes some objective measures, but also is just a bit above the line. Anybody that's way above the line, that's just fortuitous because I wasn't, and I was really clear on explaining that. Um then I went and had 23 years in special air service, really loved my time in the regiment. In fact, I still consider myself a soldier, um, but I wasn't growing anymore. I'd done all the good jobs because I came when I was very young, and so I decided that I wanted to go into business. I'd studied law and I'd started to delve into psychology. Um so I left the special air service in 2008, and then I went on a business journey again as a novice, again, in that classic thing about potential, seizing opportunities, learning from lots of different people. Um but my love and probably my passion has always been coaching and development. So I started that business alongside all these other adventures, and I've now developed that into something that I that is really my focus because I do a lot of work with young children, disadvantaged children. Um I look at trying to bridge that that gap. Um, but I've also still kept um my hands on some of the other aspects of business because that that helps me grow as well. So, in a really short, quick overview, that's the kind of journey that I've had today.

SPEAKER_01 5:44

Yeah, and it's and it's an incredibly full life up to this point. And we're we're we're definitely gonna uh try and unpick that. I I mean, I listened to that, and for those people listening and wondering, like, wow, that's that's some resume. You know, I I there's so many parallels for myself that uh it's this is where I'm gonna be fascinated by this chat. And I'm sure we're not gonna be able to get all out of it as what what I'd like to. But the the first things I noticed then is that young that the opportunities that you had whilst you were young, that you were you were given experiences at quite a young age, and also more than that, you there was a pull from yourself towards experience, though primarily sport, but also business. Um, you know, and I always say to people that you know, experience is experiences times a thousand. And you know, you you from a very early age were getting young experiences. So with with your sport, you know, what was there any particular fields that you were excelling at, or were you kind of a uh jack of all trades, master of none? Where did you sit sit with that?

SPEAKER_00 6:45

Um, I was really good at racket sports, so I still play a reasonable level of racket sport. Um, I boxed quite a good level. Um, my dad and my granddad were both boxers, so I boxed at a reasonably high level and I boxed right the way through my life. So the last I boxed up until basically the last time you could box as an amateur. So at 34 years of age, 11 months and three weeks, I had my final fight. Um, but I still love boxing. I still train, I still make sure I stay in that space. So I I I just I could never choose one. The problem I had was I just liked all sports, so I could never think about giving anything up. And what I found was the learnings that I had from that helped me on a battlefield, helped me in training, all of those things. Because I know where people need to be, I know what team looks like, you know how to lead, how to be disciplined in training, and most importantly, probably to practice for me. Because I would say I'm not probably naturally good at lots of things. What I'm really good at is practicing. Um so I spend a lot of time getting good at something. And what I love about what you've just said there was experiences and adventures. I think that is fundamental on your journey because that's how you get to be the classic best version of ourselves. So I think the experiences and trying to find out what motivates you, what drives you is really important. And the minute I joined the military, I can honestly say from the from the very first interaction I had with my instructors, my my coaches, I knew this was the place for me. I knew it. Day one. Yeah, this is interesting.

SPEAKER_01 8:14

I guess I guess that's somewhere where we perhaps differ. I guess there was something inside me that was pulling me towards that as a career. I I had I'd studied A levels, Floyd. I studied uh psychology at an A level actually and sport. So before sports psychology was a thing, actually. Um, but that that wasn't really clear to me why. And I know I read, and this will be quite interesting for me anyway. Um, I read maybe as a 13 or a 14-year-old around that age, uh, the book Bravo 20, which um I'm sure was uh penned in some way by by one of your colleagues. And um, you know, that was a real like that opened up this um just a thought in my mind of wow, that is a career that's even there. I didn't even understand that it was there. I I would have seen Prince's Gate on the TV at the time when I was very young, but it wasn't really something that was kind of clear to me that you could do. But that story sowed a seed of that word adventure, and it it was that inception for me, an idea of wow, how do I make that journey and how do I close that gap? Now, for me, that was joining the Marines, but you of course never had that. So, where did your understanding of that even as a career path and desire come from?

SPEAKER_00 9:25

Right, that's an interesting, it's a great, really great question. And the other key thing on this for me is that it's also sometimes it's never a really clear thing for people. Like I work with lots of people that will say something similar. I wasn't really clear, but I think we get drawn towards things. I think there's something innate connection with going into areas that you're attracted by. I don't think you ever fall into something. I think it's a natural draw. You've just got to put yourself in those positions. If I could just go off before I answer that question, I also think that's why it's great with children that they need adventures and experiences on a vast scale so they can really understand what's in the art of the possible. So for me, my brother was actually in the Marines, and my eldest brother, who's 12 years older than uh than I was. But that wasn't, although I can look at it and think, was that a draw? I'm not entirely sure it was. Um, but there was something that was attractive about this person that went away, came back, bronzed in really good shape, and um had lots of adventures. There will have been aspects of that, but because of our age difference at that at that time, I think that probably played a part. But for me, there was something about um trying to be the best you could be. What was it? What could test you to be really physically and mentally? What are the the tests out there? And I then just for some reason the parachute regiment, I and I I can't put my finger on it, but I could tell you at the age of 11 to 12, there was something that I'd either read or come across that was an idea that I could never shake. I am going to join the parachute regiment and I am going to join the special air service. And I can't even begin to tell you how many people just went, that's just not going to happen. Or what are you talking about? Do you understand what it entails? And of course, I was oblivious to it really. I wasn't in the scouts or the cadets or or did any of those kind of things. I just thought, no, that's that's where I'm gonna go. There's something about if you can get into those organizations, that's probably a tick in this in terms of testing yourself. And I was really clear.

SPEAKER_01 11:24

Yeah, that's it's fascinating to me. Um, uh, there's there's just so many comparables, you know. I I talk to people about um, and I I'm I live in the Midlands, so I could have easily joined the Staffordshire Regiment, and there's no there's no slant on them at all, but that wasn't appealing enough. It was for me, it was either the Marines or the Parachute Regiment, and I don't understand why I chose the Marines. The only reasoning I've got is that there was a TV programme on at the time that was following the Marines around, and it seemed a laugh, an adventure, it was exciting. There were stories, which you know, the opportunity to go to university, you know, of course, there's stories and adventure you could have there, but nothing by comparison, and that was definitely the thing that was drawing drawing me. So uh I find that fascinating. And then when you were in the parachute regiment, Floyd, um, obviously you you know you're getting feedback all the time, aren't you? You're doing quite well, clearly, as an 18-year-old in the parachute regiment, um, you know, and lots of new experiences, fairly steep learning curve, I'm sure, but something still wasn't enough. And I and I'd love to try and uncover that because again, I one of my last jobs in the military was um speaking to parachute regiments, speaking to the Marines about the opportunity of maybe stretching themselves and having a go at special forces. Now, um, what was it for you that was was kind of you know, wanting to take it to that next level, I guess?

SPEAKER_00 12:44

Oh, I was really lucky. So, this is where again, mentors, the people that you come across in life really stand out. I was so fortunate. My very first mentor was a guy called Al Slater, who was an unbelievably good soldier. I mean, probably my perfect soldier in a lot of respects. Um, he taught us properly from the minute we arrived. He was respectful, massively challenging, massively supportive. But what he was was a brilliant soldier. We never cut corners. And I would honestly say all the things I learned in that six months was what I what I've always thought that's proper soldiering, that's pure soldiering. So nothing taken away in any way, shape, or form. You did the job properly, you were innovative, you could seize opportunity, you were learning to lead. Um you were encouraged to push the bounds of your potential. And if you felt below, you knew you'd fallen below and you needed to step up. So for me, that's the perfect training environment, perfect coaching environment. So for me, I thought that's what life that you join the pressure regiment, they're all like this, they're all as good as he is, and actually we train to this level. So at that level, you know what it's like when you pass out. Um, my my the the group I was with was immense, it was super fit. Um, we we bonded well as a team, we really were we were good, we were a really good group of people, and so I thought, oh, that's got to be what it's like. And of course, you know, when you then join those great organizations, unfortunately, it's not quite like that. And there's a large proportion, probably a significant minority, that don't live up to that standard. And I say that, uh and I love the fact that I was in the Parish Regiment, but I would also say that when I arrived, those standards were not met, and sometimes not to the degree I thought they should be. I thought sometimes people cut corners on things, and I found it really uncomfortable. I thought, Cranky Moses, why how is this acceptable? How are we allowing people to get away with some of these things? Why aren't people nailing all the fitness tests? And I've always been clear on all of those things as well. I've never, that's never changed. You'll probably be able to recall certain moments when I would say that's not acceptable. That is below what I think is is is correct. Although I hope I never shout in a ball because I always say I never did that. But for me, it's clear that's not what this is about. And so it was simple. This is not where I want to be. And so again, I just went, I need to move, I need to see what it's like uh at the next level. Um, because I don't think I'd have stayed. If I'd if I hadn't passed, um, if I had not passed selection, I'm not sure how long I would have stayed in the parachute regiment. Um, I'm not sure. It's one of those things that I sometimes think about, but I it's likely I would have left because it wasn't quite meeting my needs at that moment. Um, but also I suppose because I was young, I probably had a very black and white view of the world. There was good and bad, where I probably have a slightly greyer view of certain things. I think there are things probably I was a bit hard lying on, um which needed to um become a slightly calmer view of what what good and what good and bad looks like.

SPEAKER_01 15:50

Yeah, no, amazing. I mean, again, so many comparables. What what I hear there, Floyd, and I'm sure it's not on familiar ground to you, but it you we're talking for the people listening, we're talking about your environment. Again, I feel I feel quite blessed and lucky with some of the people when I first passed out of the marine training, basic training, landed in the marines, you know, wet behind the ears, no idea what was going on, really, no idea what to expect. But again, I was surrounded by a real broad range of experienced people. Now, some of those were what I would describe as incredibly high performers, and some of those at the same rank almost were very low performers. And I could see that difference. And people within their environments, whatever that might may be, you you get a choice there. You described it as being very lucky to align with Al Slater, wasn't it, that you said, and um, but there was a choice there. You chose to be to use him as your mentor versus the perhaps easier option to align yourself with the guys that had lower standards. And and that again is is so pertinent to people listening with with their choice of environment, who the messages that they're receiving information from, who are the people that are advising, giving them feedback. And I just think there's there's there's there's absolute gold there. And I'm sure that that's something that you've continued to do throughout your career. So you're looking for various different uh characteristics in people, and and for you, thinking about who it is that can help develop yourself, but also who do you want to be surrounded by. Is that does that relate?

SPEAKER_00 17:20

Oh, without a doubt. And I also think what's a key thing for me as well is to is to realize that a lot of these skills you can teach. So the coaching, so for me, making people become coaches, not instructors. So I'm doing a big project with the military at the moment, and what I've gone in to do is work with all those instructors, uh corporal, sergeant, staff sergeant level, and then just say, right, let's look at coaching rather than just instruction. Yeah, you've got to instruct some of these people on the skills that they require, but let's also coach them because I think I was coached, so I can literally say this was way above when people would use this term. I was coached to be better, I was coached to think for myself, I was coached to do these things in a different way, but also then have some fundamental principles that you, as you quite rightly pointed out, they do not change in performance. These things are crystal clear. Do them, you'll do well. Then being innovative and seeking opportunity is you can do that because you've got strong foundations. You can't do it without a strong foundation, strong base to work from.

SPEAKER_01 18:24

Yeah, uh again, that word coach, it's one that again, towards the end of my career, I begin to I began to understand. Um, I think I'd always had coaches, I'd always had mentors, I never described any of the people in my environment as that, and they wouldn't have done either. There was never a performance coach until the very end of my career, actually, that came in. Um, and we would, I feel lucky with the environment, like I said, the environments were very much about that uh unrelenting pursuit of excellence, which we'll talk about, I'm sure. You know, our organizations, it wasn't a word on the wall like some cultures may be or some uh organizations may have. It was uh belief inside that that's that's what's expected of us. And so we're always trying to lift ourselves, and that is develop the people around you, but also learn from the the experience and the wisdom within. And again, I'm hearing that that's what that's what you've kind of carried over into what you do now.

SPEAKER_00 19:18

Oh, with and without a doubt. And again, I'm surrounded by actually I am surrounded by world-class coaches. So on the on the programs and the people I've come across, um, very similar to you, is I've just again collected a phenomenal mix of people who I literally will sit in the back and I'll be right, I still do to this day, as we're going through the program, as we keep developing it. I'm writing wonderful snippets down of about things that they're talking about that enhanced my thoughts, that reinforce some things or challenge things. Um, no, I I think that's probably one of the greatest gifts I've got at the moment is I listen to super talented people, and you constantly, as you said, it's a it's a journey. I and it isn't it is a journey about learning some key things, as I said, some key skills that remain the same. And as you've just pointed out, you're reinforcing what many people on your podcast will say and go, Floyd's just said the same as A, B, C, D, and E. These things to be strong foundations, but each person adapts it slightly differently, which enables them to be unique in what they do.

SPEAKER_01 20:21

So, so with regards to joining the parachute regiment, you know, you had an elder older brother that was in the Marines that I'm sure you probably can't put your finger on the advice now, but maybe sowed some seed and had some uh sort of sage words of advice for throwing yourself into that experience. And then with volunteering for the SAS from within the parachute regiment, and then within your career in the SAS, uh you know, the uh how did you deal with the unknown with regards to well, you you you knew you were never going to go into those experiences with having all the answers, you could only do what you could do. So, how how did you personally manage that? So, what what some people are absolutely ravaged by fear of doing what and to to protect to try and to unlock their potential. Some people are ravaged by fear of doing that. So, how so what was it that you do you think have you thought about this with regards to how how you navigated that?

SPEAKER_00 21:14

Yeah, practice. Um, literally, I would spend, and actually I think what it what it is for me is that I love I love being a soldier. So for me, actually doing the skill of soldiering and doing as many different exercises, as many ranged practices, as many elements as I possibly could just meant you become skilled at being in an environment so that you're thinking about the job. So I can honestly say most situations, it's not until I've probably thought outside of a situation. Most of the situations I'm just doing my job. I know what I need to do, I know what skill levels, and I know how to work with teams, I know how to make the calls. Um, and I think by practicing and practicing, I've just got a thousand and one different experiences. So, whatever I see, even though it might be different to what I perhaps practiced, I've got an inkling of what to do. And they're never that far. I mean, you and I both know they're never that far removed from the thousands of times we go through the practices, the way I can make training so complex, so difficult, that no matter what you go through, it will never match what I can do to you in training. That's basically one of my philosophies is that is has always been when I train people, I will make sure you are at a different level of performance because. Nothing you're going to come across, you will not have experienced in training, and I'll have scared you, or I'll put you under pressure. So I think having done that and being wanting to be in that environment as well, I love that kind of pressure. I want to be tested, I want to see where I've learned or make mistakes. I think that probably meant that when I was involved in those situations, I was just thinking about doing a job I could get into that wonderful um state every now and again, which we call flow, because I kind of wanted to do this and see what it was like. And I'm thinking about not only just my job, but I'm thinking about the people that are around me. And I think that's probably the big the biggest thing is that I'm also not going to let them down. I kind of want to make sure I don't let not do my job because I'll let these people down. And I think that's probably a big driver as well in terms of performance.

SPEAKER_01 23:19

Yeah, I think I think what again, what I'm hearing there is you you thrive on a challenge and you know that other people will thrive once they're at the back end of a particularly tough challenge that they can do, they just probably don't think they can do with regards to your training. And you know, you've learned that. You've learned that, well, you're sometimes going to go into an event where um you're you're unsure how you're going to perform, but you're just going to give it your all. And invariably, what you've learned through your experiences is that it turns out okay. The the horror stories that your brain tells you um very rarely, uh, if ever, materialize. And at the back end of it, you know a ton more that you can then use. And I think that's the thing that people um just aren't willing to push against. A good friend of mine, a guy called Richard Sharp, uh, former Marine officer, actually, who who's got his own businesses now, and he he spoke about when if he's not feeling the butterflies of a challenge, then he knows he's probably not trying or stretching himself enough. Is that is that something you relate to? Because people feel that they they they're always going to be confident in what they they want to feel confident in what they're about to go into, but that feeling of nervousness that we you will describe as nerves, um, the imposter syndrome, the butterflies in the stomach, all those feelings are inhibitors to that. I mean, is that again, have you got some thoughts on that?

SPEAKER_00 24:40

Oh no, if it's not, if you're not scared, and I mean it's an interesting world. We can talk about what this word means, I think, as well. Fear of failure, scared, because I have a different view. I have a they mean the same thing. And the butterflies is exactly what it needs. If it's not, if you're not a bit scared, it's not big enough. You're not doing something that's big enough for you. You need the only way you grow is out of your comfort zone when you're learning things and realizing now what that means is it it means the more skilled you become in these environments, actually, that that fear of failure, that scared is not that you don't get scared because you have to be scared to perform. So, consequences, it needs to mean something, otherwise, you cannot perform at your optimum level. And what happens is you you drop a level, and you'll see this when a very good player in sport plays something that's way below them, but they don't get themselves up for it because there is no challenge. Therefore, you're not at that optimum performance where somebody that's fighting against the number one steps up and performs amazingly because they've outperformed in some respects, because they're at that heightened edge. So I think the key thing is realizing what that looks like, what we need to get into it. And of course, that's about psychological resources. Physical and mental resilience comes from one being physically fit, but also realizing that mental fitness is key. Now, we did that, I think, in the paras and the marines, and probably in the special air service when we first started. We do lots of this stuff without realizing that self-talk, the banter, the power words, the visualize, all those things you kind of do, but you don't know, you don't know why you're doing them. So you're not consistently good. I think the key about learning about what does that look like to get into the performance state means you can be more consistently good and you can reflect and prepare before you step into the arena, once you understand what makes you tick and what you need to get at that edge, to get that, hey, this needs to mean something.

SPEAKER_01 26:33

Yeah, absolutely. Uh I've got a couple of stories on that and actually a topical question, actually, at the back end of it. So um what for those listening, uh what Floyd said there is we we we don't always have the answers and the skills or understand the skills of how we cope with these situations when we do them. And and again, I was asked, again, like I said, towards the end of my career, performance coach, a performance psychologist came in, a guy called Andy McCann, brilliant guy, works has formerly worked with a Welsh rugby team. I don't know if you've worked with him yourself, Floyd. Um, but he came in and he was in the room, and I was one of the more experienced people in the room. And he said, Gaz, just just tell us when you sat on the back of the helicopter and you fly into a dangerous area, you know, what what are the things that you're thinking about? And I was like, wow, as I no one's ever asked me that before, but there's lots of things that I'm thinking about. There's lots of strategies that I've learned to in various different timelines that I'm using at the first half of it, where there's literally nothing that we can do. I'm I'm trying to just relax, whereas then there's a preparation stage as I as I get closer to the the kind of the interesting area, shall we say. Um, but I've never actually shared it. And it was almost an epiphany for me that why haven't I shared this? Because this is this is the gold, and this is the stuff that I'm surrounded by people that I care about, that I've got some words of advice for some of them, surely, to help them with. And it was it was that moment that I kind of thought, actually, this is this is the stuff we should be coaching people through and helping people with. And as an organization, I don't think formerly we'd done a great job of that. I think now they're they're embedding that from the early stages, which is fantastic. And I think leading the way in it because the experiences that you'll get are almost uncomparable on a threat and risk basis. Now, you'll know as well as I that the difference in threat and risk to the businessman going in for a big deal to try and close a big deal is actually very similar to being stood on a tail ramp about to conduct quite a difficult mission. The two are so more comparable than people would lead to believe, be led to believe. But what the topical question, I guess, uh is and it won't last the test of time um because of it's so topical. But the the young uh British tennis player the other week, as a fan of racket sports, you said earlier, did did you see part of the game or have you see the highlights where she's been pulled out with stomach problems or nerves? Um, have you got any thoughts on that? I know I have, I just wouldn't be interested in just unpicking that from yourself.

SPEAKER_00 28:56

Yeah, I have. And of course, it's really hard to pick that particular situation without knowing everything that's gone on before, her training. And I have no doubt that she's probably had some really good people. However, my experience on a wide scale of sports and a wide scale of environments is that we don't prepare people as well as we could. And the reason I say that is because again, it comes down to this thing about consequences, and people get hung up by the word consequence. What I mean by it is I need to make sure you realize this means something in training. And what we don't do is we don't train. When we train, we train to a completely different level. I mean, literally, I would say the prep that we go through is probably as good as it gets. But what we've done is we've got the skills first of all. You need the skill. We put the skill under a bit of pressure with lots of different rehearsals, we then test ourselves and then we go and do it. So if you look at that element, you've gone through lots of different areas where we can get used to being scared, heart racing, overthinking things, being overwhelmed with information. And then we we have processes. We learn that actually, for me, I'm a massive fan of visualization. I visualize every op. I can visualize from getting my kit on to getting on onto the ground. I can take people through things. And you will know when I used to speak about orders, I would talk it through as though it's a story. I would go through this is what we're doing, because then everything I can see, everything and I'm prepared for it and I've gone through what happens. I think the problem is generally, I'm not saying it happened in this case, but generally, um, we haven't gone through those things as well as we could do. Um, we haven't put them under pressure. We haven't then made the consequence where, and for me, consequences used to be not where you're gonna be punished. What's gonna happen is you'll do more training or you'll do more exercising. I'm just gonna make sure there's some balance to it, um, so that you'll know my five-minute test, Gary. For example, I just go, yeah, consequence, five-minute test, and then all of a sudden we're all good, but you've got a bit more fitness, but you're not gonna do that again, are you? Because that's a pretty hard test to go through. You'll realize there's a consequence for not performing at a certain level. And I think that's the skill. You've got to follow it. Skills, first of all, pressure testing, so where you can still make mistakes, testing, no mistakes, or there's consequences, and realizing there's a consequence helps you prepare for those moments slightly better.

SPEAKER_01 31:21

Yeah. Um centre court was a crucible the other day, and um and what an event, what an experience for again. A name escapes me now, the 16-year-old uh British tennis player that that pulled herself out of that event ultimately, or coaches certainly did. And and the experience that she's learned from that now will make her or it won't. And uh I I think it's it was incredible. You know, I know when I was 16-year-old, 16 years old, I don't know how I would have performed. And it's easy for us armchair TV watchers to watch the tennis and and form an opinion, but again, um having been under uh intense pressure myself, I've always had a much more mature and experienced head on my shoulder most of the time. And so I've got so much feeling for that. Was a incredible, incredible experience for her. Um, so yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:13

No, I still think she handled it really well. So I think one of the good things about it for me is I look at her and I thought she was a very mature girl. I think she just went through an experience which we all can go through. And again, I can come back and say I remember again being on on one of the selection uh marches where I was really ill. I have no idea why that was and did not perform as well on that particular test. Um, therefore, it was about coming back stronger the next time. And I'm sure she will learn enormous amounts from it. The skill now is again because of the way the media is, because of that actually extraordinary external pressure. Um, again, I think I for having seen her, I actually think it will make her, as long as again, she's got that element to now to break it down into chunks, she can manage in a really skillful way.

SPEAKER_01 33:03

Yeah, agreed. And and just on that, you know, with we talked about the selection march there. I mean, you I'm sure you were talking about from your own perspective of being on the course yourself. Um, but again, what's fairly unique here is that I'm I'm able to talk to somebody that's seen that process from um the position you were, the training officer, the position you held. Uh was it two years that you did that role for, Floyd?

SPEAKER_00 33:27

Yeah, two years. Yep.

SPEAKER_01 33:28

Um, you know, when I went through selection, you know, it's not often I get to kind of unpick your thinking. I mean, I've got my own, I've got my own thoughts on it now. Again, I've I I I managed a seven-week course before we put guys onto it to so I kind of and then got involved in the process as well. So um I've got my own spin on it now, but it's fascinating to me. And like what people don't understand, like I think generally, is that we spoke about a crucible event there. And there's a number of crucible events on the selection process, certainly in the first few weeks. And we're asking quite a lot of people in and to just walk into the unknown sometimes. And and I think one of the differences now, um, I guess some people would say I'm I'm partly guilty for that for talking about it right now, but there's there's a lot more information about it now than there was when you certainly went through it. And again, I I only had uh the mentors and coaches around me to kind of speak to, and and most of those have been unsuccessful because that's the only people you get to speak to. So that's interesting narrative that you get there. Um, but from the perspective of the training's officer, those characteristics that you're looking to spot the potential in, you know, can you explain and broaden people's thinking on that process? And what that process for you, what what was it that was kind of you were acutely focusing on to try and see uh and and and ultimately serve alongside some of the men and and now women going through that process?

SPEAKER_00 34:49

Yeah, I first of all, the key thing for me, the key theme right from day one was my coaches, was I'm gonna make sure because I had extra when I first took it over, there were extremes left and right, um, people who um could have easily been too caring or too challenging. And you and I both know that doesn't work. We need a mixture of both. I just had a flash, I just had a flashback.

SPEAKER_01 35:12

Sorry, I'm I'm yeah, so yeah, we'll leave that one alone.

SPEAKER_00 35:15

No, no, no. And then again, you you can you you will know within, and I can't see everything. Um, but what I was really clear on was it will be fair. So for me, the really the most important thing was it's as fair as we can make it, it's as objective as we can make it, and where subjectivity comes in, then we've got to be clear that we judge it together. Um, and therefore it's not one person's choice because I was always clear on I'm not just gonna have one person having a dislike for somebody. Those things can happen, and I was, you know, I just I saw that happen, but what I always always used to do was step in and go, if it's a personality clash, just move them, just own it, move them, let somebody else see them, and we'll see what happens from there. And so fundamentally, it was about trying to create the right environment to find a just a good soldier. So I was always clear that I'm looking for somebody like me who was not the best in this environment, but was willing to learn. So the first thing is coachability. Do they have the potential to be coachable? Integrity, really important. Uh, and I can't remember the people that were around you, but on some of the courses, I can give you an officer who basically was in charge of an ambush and decided in that ambush he was not gonna follow the same drills as everybody else, which was a complete lack of integrity, which was a fail at that moment in time. So there's no way you're coming back from that because what you've just done on that one instance to me is sure that I can't trust you. So trust in the fact that you will do these drills when nobody's looking is massively important. The fact that you've got DS watching you all the time to a degree just means that that was a ridiculous thing for him to do. Your ability to work together is really important to me that you are looking after the weaker ones, you are helping because you can't do that, even even though you are selected on an individual basis, we can see who helps other people, who's not there for the team, um, yeah, who doesn't have that accountability for what's happening as a group as well. And then, of course, for me, what I just want you to do then is just do these basic things exceptionally well throughout the entire time. I don't expect a super soldier. I think that's the other key thing is don't expect a super soldier. And the rest of those big crucible events you're talking about are objective, aren't they? You know, if you're one second over, I have to fail you. Don't have any leeway in that unless the conditions were horrendous. If you're one second under, you pass. Again, I don't have any choice in saying, oh, you were just through, you were through. So I think there's those kind of elements were quite important to me that you know it was ultimately as fair as I could make it. I can't, as I said, you can't spot everything, but I think with a team I eventually had together, I think we were quite fair.

SPEAKER_01 38:01

I think what's yeah, I completely agree. Um one of one of the unique things, I guess, in this conversation, and well, unique to that. I I've never heard it before, where because so for those listening, you you you go on the Hills process, uh, and again, that's that's uh it's a filter in many ways um for focusing on those people like you've just described that have got great determination. Um, they've got uh on the face of it the good enough skills to go away for a number of weeks and and be tested out of their comfort zone in a new environment. And that's what that's what the jungle is. So they're fit enough, they're determined enough. Now let's see if they've got those uh the skills that uh an ability to learn and to be coachable uh in a completely different environment. And my experience of when we flew out to the the jungle and we had sort of six weeks in the jungle to go, I'd never been to the jungle, so it was a completely new experience for me. There's just so much, it's hard to put across just how different it is to people that are listening, but that's the point. And that's the the point is that it's you you can't rely on your skills, you have to learn on your character in many ways, because you've never you've not learned the skills you need to live in that environment. You're learning as you go. Uh, when and you're surrounded by great coaches, we had some brilliant instructors. Uh, I will say that we had some brilliant instructors, guys that I could look to and go, that's where I want to be. And that's I guess one of the things that you were trying to design in in your course. But again, at the end of that process, there's very little, there's feedback throughout, but there's there's not the feedback that you want of, well, am I passing or am I failing? You never get that feedback. And it's not until you fly back to the UK, you then go into an office. And you know, I walked into an office with yourself, Floyd, and and you told me if I'd been successful or or not. And um, you know, I remember parts of that conversation. I remember the the elation that I felt when I walked out. I would definitely remember that, that I'd been successful. Um, but you you clearly must have faced hundreds of people in that scenario where you were telling them you you're not quite enough. And and some of those areas were quite subjective, you know. Yes, there was objective tests, crucible events, and it was a pass or fail. But when it comes to the subjective side of things, people will be working in environments where you know they're not able to put their colleagues, their teammates, into objective tests. There's they've got a there's just a feeling about them that they just rubbed them up. Now, how how did you communicate that to people that were unsuccessful that their their character or their their current potential wasn't being displayed well enough?

SPEAKER_00 40:34

Yeah, it's a it's uh honestly, it's a it it will always be one of those moments because I know I was the same, right? When I passed the elation that I felt, it was only then it dawned on me what the other side would have been had I failed. So I literally and I remember that super clearly. And for me, what I used to say to the instructors is you've got to remember, is you're deciding somebody's life here. So when you make the decision, you need to be really clear, it's a massive decision on somebody's life. Because I again, you and I could both reflect, had we not done that, our lives would have been immensely different to what they are now. And I was always really clear on that. And so when it came to the selection of an individual, you had to be super clear on why this person was not acceptable. But remember, I've also seen most of these people as well. I made a point of making sure I had an opinion on what was happening with these individuals, and that when we knew they were struggling, they were given opportunities to show they could do something better. I was getting really clear that it wasn't just on, oh, they were bad today, and they didn't do this. Other than safety, safety was always a big paramount one of uh being, you know, it was hard to recover from a really bad safety um issue. However, there were opportunities to show us you had improved and it was only one off. Um, so for me it was about going through it in a real clinical way. Look, these are the things we were expecting. A number of people have seen these particular attributes, and what we feel is you'll need to come back. If you want to come back, then there's an opportunity to come back. But these are the the areas that you will need to improve on if that's what your desire is. Some again were really close to the mark, some people again were very young. Um, I remember having one course where I had so many young people who were just not robust enough to do it and they let themselves down at various different stages. However, what I would say is, and this is quite an interesting one, I did a lot of stats analysis on why the people come off. Uh and what would generally be the case if you walk out of the jungle, you actually have a 75% chance of passing overall if you walk out. So let's just take most of the time people will voluntarily withdraw, they'll take themselves off the course, in which case the minute you say I'm off, they're gone. Um, they don't hit their numbers, which is another large majority. And then some people are medically withdrawn because there's an injury, and then of course, those that actually walk out. I always used to say anybody that walks out of the jungle after five weeks, five months of hard training deserves to be given a really good overview and an assessment of why they've either passed or failed. They need that clearly defined, and so yeah, it was hard, but I think overall um we made it as objective as we possibly could. And usually there were really significant elements for me to go. That's why I'm making this decision.

SPEAKER_01 43:23

Yeah. Um, you mentioned the feeling that you had when you left your interview that you've been successful, and it's only then that you considered what failure looks like. I mean, I I would say the same because there's no there's never any part of me that was going to voluntary withdrawal. I think that was that was clear to me. But uh as I left our interview, I then bumped into uh a paratrooper um who was in tears because clearly the the message hadn't been the same. It was it was tears of sadness, and um it was that reality, like you exactly you said, that dreams had been dashed in many ways, that the the lives that had been affected. And and again, I've been in a role where the guys that were unsuccessful then came back to us and we had a chat with them, and we had a plan or not as to whether they were going to come and come and have another go. And it is a really difficult conversation, but this is what all of all the way through that, and what you finished with there was this need for to be clear with people um with regards to the feedback and an honest account of where they're at. Um, some people shirk that information. I I was talking, we we mentioned it briefly at the start of the call um before we started recording. Working with a premiership club earlier in the week, and we we did a tough test with them, a tough physical test with them. And um, they were they were young, they were between 18 and 19, and um, some of them had never been to that place that they took themselves, and some of them had never suffered in their minds as they had had in that moment, and there's new conversations that they're having, and it was important in that time to help them realize that that challenge, that uncomfortableness there is what they're seeking because that's where they're learning about themselves and and that's where the growth is. But I think people people really struggle to understand that to seek feedback, whether it's positive or more critical, um, is is vital. And in every opportunity, whether, like you said, in your sporting uh events growing up, whether it's um in your career um and now in business, I'm sure the message you you're singing loud and clear is to seek feedback at all levels.

SPEAKER_00 45:28

Is that yeah, it's really really important. So when I talk to people about feedback, the first thing I do is when I'm with a group, is I go, right, turn to the person next to you and tell them why they're wonderful. Just tell them all the things they bring, all the things that makes them magical, the things they must continue to do. And of course, the rooms go into a great sense of positivity. We turn to people and I go, Well, when did you last do that? So tell me when you last told people why they were brilliant, what their super strengths are, what makes it a great place to be, why we need more of it. And of course, most people go, Well, I don't do that. I go, Well, why would you not do that? Why are we not telling people what are the fundamental skills that I see you delivering day in, day out? And of course, that's a key thing for me, is because if I can say to you, look, Gary, this is where you're brilliant, this is what you need to continue to do because that's what's definitely going to get you um through the door. But you need to look at this. This is one thing that I think could hold you back. That's got to be the great way of giving good feedback, but we don't do either well because it's a bit emotional, and also people think, What will people well? Actually, how do you think you're gonna grow if because most of the time you know it anyway, so if it's really good feedback, you'll know it's what's required, but don't work on every weakness because there's far too many to work on, and most of them don't really count, but that one does. That's probably what will hold you back. And I I've had that all the way through my career. I've been again really, really lucky. Every time I've needed to grow quickly, um, somebody said, You need to, Floyd. Have you thought about this? And where I might get cross-thinking that's unfair, my initial reaction. Um, what I realized is no, that's absolutely what I'm not doing. And if I don't change, I'll be good, but I won't be really good.

SPEAKER_01 47:06

Yeah, so so so true. I I listened to a great interview the other week with um Ben Francis, who's the the chief executive of Gymshark, this a British sports clothing company that's just blowing up. And um uh he he is a young guy, and he conducted this 360-degree feedback on himself and to his employees. And uh he he he was given some really strong feedback, and it was quite a lot of negative, and he couldn't deal with it, and he put it to one side and he was angry about it. He went off and he went to did his training. Um, and it was only when he came back, um, and then he was very resistant to accept that information. It's only when he came back that his his partner, his fiancee, was like was reading this report, and he said, he said, get get off that, put it down, it's a load of rubbish. She's like, Ben, this is the most this is the most clear view of you I've ever read in in my life. This is you. And he was like, Wow, he took that um comment from someone he truly trusts, you mentioned trust earlier, um, that truly trusted to actually go, Wow, well, if that's me, and they're the criticisms of me, then these are the things that I've got to do to get to where I want to go and to be better. And that's that's it in a nutshell, isn't it? We'll all have that you describe it there, we all have this resistance to it to begin with, and it's tough. And that's where this unrelenting pursuit of excellence, this this word, this mantra that people can have, this is where we practically apply it. It's that uncomfortableness with the challenge, uncomfortableness with the feedback, it's accepting that and going, right, what can I do about it and how can I create a plan for that? Um, and I know you've done that in business. So you your career in the military, sort of again, uh just quickly, what why would you say that you left the military? But then sort of, and what was it that kind of pulled you into what you do now with regards to business?

SPEAKER_00 48:58

Um, literally, I was really fortunate again, having joined when I was very young, and I was really again lucky with the where the circumstances were. I did all the good jobs really quickly. I kind of just literally bounced between some really good opportunities. Um, I was involved in lots of different operations and things. And so it was a really nice mix of things to help me become skillful in that area. So I kept on bouncing through different jobs. I got commissioned, um, did again three or four really good jobs on the bounce of that, which I absolutely loved. And then I just got to the point where I, because I was learning and then doing a lot of self-development and and growing, um, I just realized actually, if I could I could stay and I could do another 20 years in the in the military, but what would I be doing differently? Would I be would I be growing? Would I be um getting better? Or have I just got to a point where I'm just at that moment where I'm seeing things happen time and time again? And am I becoming a bit cynical? Am I just losing that bit of an edge? And I just thought now is the time to step. And and so I prepped really well. So I I all the way through, um, I'd done tons of study. So I was constantly learning, constantly doing different things, and I got to a point where yeah, I've done everything. I it's time to step and just see what happens in business. Can I be as good in business? Um, and so I stepped into that world right at the time of the crash. So I learned an MBA's worth of information in the first six months, and then I just explored lots of different opportunities. And although I'm still a novice in lots of those areas, um I've learned a lot. Um, and therefore that was it, it was about growth, definitely.

SPEAKER_01 50:35

Um, just for people listening again for some context, you know, when when Floyd talks about always passionate about learning and developing, um, one of my memories, we spoke about this the other day when uh pre this this call, really. Um, my memory of of coming out of the jungle, actually. Um, so we're waiting for our helicopter to pick us up. And again, for for people that have never been, you know, it's it's an in his it's inhospitable. The the part of the um the jungle that we're at, it's not there for us to, it's not we we're not designed well to live and exist there. I was absolutely exhausted, and and clearly our experiences over there were were different. I was being assessed, you were the assessor, so to speak. But uh um I I vividly remember being sat on the the helicopter pickup point, and you were reading a book, you were reading a book on teaching yourself Italian, and uh and it and it it it landed on me. And it was like, well, you know, even in this moment, this period of time that you've got, which I was just struggling to survive and make it to the helicopter pickup point, um, you were still sat there on your berg and and and reading a book trying to develop yourself. And I and it's it genuinely stuck with me, Floyd. Um, and when I when you've left, you've you've distilled lots of your experiences and um thoughts and and thinking on into a couple of a few books actually. You you you wrote a book quite quickly, and then you've got a number of other books now, haven't you, where you've you've distilled this thought and this these this ethos that you lived in the military uh and how you apply that into business. Do you want to share a bit about that?

SPEAKER_00 52:08

Yeah, sure. One of the things uh right the way through, I'd studied law whilst I was in the military. So I can again remember being in the jungle when I was a sergeant major, again, same thing, loads of law books, 10 o'clock at night, pitch black, still going through that kind of element. I thought I need to explain again, show people how to do that. So the very first book I wrote was called Learning to Learn, um, which I wrote for the military and for soldiers and officers to look through how you can be in a very busy job but still spend time studying. Um, and then when I came out in the military, I wrote my first first sort of leadership book, which was Elite. And then I brought a number of other little books which are on education for kids and teachers, and then I wrote The Warrior, The Strategist and You, which is basically based on the compass program, which I currently run about having a compass, North Point as your super north star, where you want to be in three, five, or ten years, can be as big as I want to change the world to as small as I just want to play the piano, South Cardinal strategy, logic analysis, looking at things with no emotion, but wisdom, common sense, and judgment to apply that information correctly. East Cardinal ethos, values, behaviors, team code of conduct, and West Cardinal Warrior, mental and physical resilience. The map is your terrain, the train that you create on your journey, as you spoke about. That's the map that you create. Get them both in balance. I just think you'll be difficult to beat as an individual team or organization. So that's been the concept of the stuff that I do. And I call it the Compass for Life because I do the same program with kids right the way through. So it's about understanding that most things that we do are simple. It's a simple tool, but very deep in what you can learn in each of those cardinals, really deep on psychology, psychometrics, communication, negotiation, strategic thinking, resilience, of course. And of course, the dreaming, the ambition is important because purpose, a why, and I know one of the things that's the driver in you is why are you doing this? Is powerful. Uh, and the research behind each of those areas on success, well-being, happiness is phenomenal.

SPEAKER_01 54:16

Yeah, so much gold there. If people just want to click back two minutes and just listen to that again, I'd I'd strongly recommend there's so much information there that people can just take away, get it written down, get it logged inside your memory banks and practically apply some of that. That's that's gold. Clearly, that's what you've like you said. You've you you apply this from children right the way up through to through your businesses. You you run a number of businesses, very successful ones, which again people can learn about. Again, those those two books. I I own both books, the uh the elite and the strategist books. Um, I'd again I'll I'll share it on social media, but I'd recommend everyone to have a look. If you're interested in personal development, and I'm sure the vast majority of people listen to this podcast certainly are, then there'd be two that um um that I would absolutely recommend you to dig into. What strikes me as well, Floyd, is not one of the books that you've written has got your face on it making it about you. Okay. And and there's there's very much a tendency with uh people of our ilk, I guess, um with a uh, and there's no slant on them either. Again, I know publishers have a lot of control over these things, but um it was never about you. Uh and uh I do, I do, I've got a lot of respect for that. It's about what you've learned and how it can help others. Um, so so kind of in line with that, as you know, as a as you sit there now with as a successful businessman too, with incredible career behind you. What would be that message, again for our listeners, but that younger self that you could speak to that you would say to have the most positive effect? What would be that message that you would pass on?

SPEAKER_00 55:50

Well, I probably two, if I may. Um the first one is always follow your dreams, always look at having dreams and whatever you're thinking about, even think bigger. I think it's so so important to have something that draws you forward. Find out what motivates you, what you're passionate about, and explore those elements. I think it's it's fundamental on performance and actually enjoying life, something that draws you, that you don't have to be dragged out of bed for. There's just something there. And whatever happens, even if that changes, which a lot of these things do, the skills and capabilities that you learn will always stand you in good stead. It's just one of the things I've seen is that you'll get loads of skills and capabilities. You're drawn that way because there must be something that's connecting to you at this moment in time, and it will open up other opportunities. The more opportunities you have, well, then the more growth you'll get. So that's fundamental. And the second one is about communication. I really think I learned a lot. I was really fortunate again being around a mum and dad who communicated really well. We were taught to articulate things, we were taught about politics, we would talk about the world. So that engagement's important. But I honestly think I wish I'd understood about communicating to myself a little bit more that self-talk, uh, that ability to want to push ourselves, but done in a way that is enhanced because you communicate better, you influence. I think communication is a PhD. I think if you can understand how to do it well, where you communicate to yourself, but more importantly, you're sensitive and you have empathy for different people, and you can adapt your communication style, take them with you and to connect. I just think they're in a different space. And I think for me, it would have made my earlier journey far better had I just been a bit more sensitive and have a bit more empathy for why people were different to me, um, rather than being probably a little bit black and white.

SPEAKER_01 57:42

I I couldn't agree more. I couldn't agree more. One of the leadership programs that we run, we we build it around communication. It's got to be one of the fundamental um tenants that that we look into. But in your mind, how can people again? Sometimes communication is hard and to have those courageous conversations is hard. You know, what's your advice to people that maybe feel themselves they aren't great communicators or want to get better at communicating, as it's such a such a key uh skill?

SPEAKER_00 58:11

Right. The the first thing I would do is I would definitely go online and I do some fundamental, there's some simple links you can do, and I can send them through to you. But Myers Briggs, I would do straight away. And the reason I do Myers Briggs is because it's a nice, safe way of looking at personality, uh personality type. And what you'll find is it will be close to the when you do it, even though it's not 100% to start with in the sense that you may not be quite there, but it will be close enough for you to get a realization there are different personality types, and straight away you can then think, am I extroverted or introverted? What does that mean to me? And all of a sudden the world starts to open up when you realize ah, extroverts do this, introverts do that, detailed people do this, intuitive people do this. You just start to realize, oh, there's different ways of connecting. I think once you've started to get that basis, super strength is another great one. Again, understanding what you're really good at, some great, great programs that are free online for you start to look at and analyze, and then looking at influencing book. Caldini does another great book on powers of influence. So studying communication, influencing, negotiating is really important because it gives you some principles to work behind. First one for me is always that initial contact, opening lines, first impressions. Remember, when we meet people, they judge us instantly because we're designed to do it that way. So if I know that, it means I could be better prepared when I'm meeting somebody. I can start to think what do I want from the meeting? I can go in with a better plan, better preparation. The most important for me is I always build rapport, first of all. I'm not interested in the deal, I'm not interested in anything else until I know you and you know me, because nothing really happens without that. So spending time, I don't have to like people. Sometimes there's people I don't particularly like, but at least I understand them. I used to I've spent time listening to them. And although their philosophy may not be the same as mine, I've spent some time just trying to get some respect to build trust, trust being that wonderful thing which is about you deliver on what you say. Accountability is important to me. What I would say is you can never get to where you want to go without having the ability to hold people to account in a supportive way, but a challenging way, if you really want to pursue excellence or get somewhere. And therefore, the why, the team results, what we're trying to do is important. Always come back to what are you trying to do? And will this help you get there? Will these people help you get there? Will this behavior help you get there? And if the answer is no, you need to do something about it. So keep it simple, in which case deal with things when they're small problems, not when they're big problems. So the more you are willing to ask why are we doing it this way, what's happening, and to challenge in the appropriate way, you'll minimize angst.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:51

Yeah, that's again absolute gold that's been distilled down there for people for 30, nearly 40 years of experience. And just re-listen to some of that, and there's there's just a ton of stuff. You mentioned small problems before they come to big problems. You you must have made again with challenges and uh a kind of understanding that you know, challenging yourself, biting off more than you think you can chew, um must have come with a number of times that things haven't gone to plan, and maybe you've made a few mistakes. Do you mind kind of helping people to understand like how you know, with regards to a maybe a big mistake that you've made in business, uh and how how you dealt with that and how you do deal with it?

SPEAKER_00 1:01:34

Yeah, I think really early on, I was really lucky. Again, I went into a number of different businesses where I could see things were not going as well as they could be. And what I mean is by that was culture. So the mistakes I've made sometimes has been what I when I first went into these environments was people saying, Oh Floyd, you're learning. So not trusting my intuition, not trusting myself was probably quite an interesting element. When you when you look and think, this is not quite right, I wouldn't do it this way, or I don't believe this is the right way to behave. Um, but as you're learning, you go through some of those trials and think, actually, I need to learn, so I'll I'll go with it. Um I think the biggest mistake has always been when I've thought um when I've done something that I look and go, that's not what I would do, that's not my ethos, that's not how I would behave, that's not how this organization should behave. And I think the biggest mistake was letting that slip for a little while before I went, no, no, no, that's just not, this is not, this is not how business should be done. And so those kind of things I think are really important. You've got to keep coming back to what's your inner compass, what what kind of centers you from your head and your heart uh in order to make sure this is the right way for me to behave, your values, and again, as we've as you were you've highlighted, uh, the tenants that the the the special air service um certainly works towards that unrelenting pursuit of action of special forces is pretty much the same, isn't it? I know it's the same with yourself, is that that's what you've got to stick to. And I think the key theme for me is that balance of equilibrium, knowing that what I'm doing is the right thing, right plan, right values, and then I'm gonna be a warrior and challenge what I need to challenge if it's not going that way. And warrior to me is not about being big and tough, it's about strength of character. I think that's really important to define. It's not, as I said, girls of five years of age could be warriors, um, but it's about because their strength of character is important about how they can how they can take things forward.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:31

Yeah, I love that. Um, you mentioned your inner compass there, and again, I know just you meant just whilst I think about it, a last question before you mentioned you'll send some links through known. Feel free to do that, Lloyd, uh Floyd, sorry, for the uh uh the links to the um personality tests, etc. But they're in the back of your book elite, aren't they? So again, for those that are going to buy the book, then all the links are there. So uh I steer towards that. Um and you know, you mentioned the inner compass, and people listening to what you've just said will go, yeah, yeah, that's yeah, I do that, I do that. But then what what I'm hearing is, you know, that we there's conscience, isn't there? There's a there's a when your conscience gets pricked, you you sense it, that inner feeling that something's not right. That you mentioned there, that's not quite in line with your values and your principles. And we have to train our conscience in those situations, and that is this being this courageous, this warrior, um, as you describe it, and and going into that, going towards the fire, because that's the thing that you have to practice. And it's those times when your conscience is telling you, um, look, maybe maybe this isn't how you at first expected it, and someone's saying something that you don't exactly agree with, then they're the times that we have to take action, isn't it? And and I think that's that's the message that I'm hearing.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:47

Well, courage, ultimately. I mean, the the best value is courage because every value is protected if you have it. Um, and so sometimes you do have to, and of course, especially when you're a novice or you're in an environment that's you that's new to you, and those things take a bit of time. Um, but the key thing is I always keep keeping back to the minute I've done it, the minute I realized no, no, no, this is this is how I intend to do things, my my business life thereafter has been really, really strong. And even when I've been in difficult situations again, I was in a really difficult situation where an organization tried to take over my company in a really aggressive takeover, which is why you're correct. That that experience was similar to being on a battlefield in terms of the the areas of the brain that it highlights, which are fear, which are pain, which are disappointment, all those things that go with it. Um, just by holding true to what I believed, it made sure that that experience was, whilst difficult, wasn't as traumatic as it could have been.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:43

They were messing with the wrong business, weren't they, Floyd?

SPEAKER_00 1:05:46

I think so. Yeah. I think they found that out to their cost, if I'd be yeah, no, I'm sure they did.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:53

I'm sure they did. Um, so with all starting to think about wrapping this up, Floyd, I genuinely appreciate your time and value it. And um, with all that you've achieved, uh both career-wise within the military and but also within the business, you know, you what you've described to us today, you work with people from five years old up until 85 years old, I'm sure, you know, very senior business leaders. Um, and the the message is there's a common, there's a golden thread. But but with all the success that you've had, you know, what what does success look like for you now?

SPEAKER_00 1:06:24

Oh, it's a really good, it's a great question. And it was interesting when I was looking at when we were thinking when I was thinking about what we discussed. I think it's really important. That you understand what success means to you as an individual. The earlier that you do that and realize what it should mean, I think you'll have a transformational life. It's not about for me, whilst I like to win and I like to do well in things, for me it's just about performance. So, how well am I doing myself? That's really important. Did I do that the best I could possibly do it? But I honestly think for me now at this moment in time, it is about giving back. It really would be success for me, is that I've enabled children to really communicate more effectively, take accountability, be resilient, and actually change the world. I literally believe education, which is where I'm heavily involved with things from social justice, social care, referral units, going into prisons to help groups, is a space I want to be in because I know the stuff that we've learned, um, some of the principles we learned right the way through our careers and what I've learned since then, subsequent to that, um, can transform lives. And that is just purely about giving people some great coaches that provoke thought in an individual to do what we did, which is go, actually, I could do that. I I'm capable of doing that, I must do that. And when you unlock that, then education and the world makes sense.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:46

Brilliant. Uh, perfect. Uh there's there's the final, well, two two final questions, if that if I may. So you're you're a very busy person, or you've got you're you've got a lot of involvement and a lot of things going on. I I speak to a lot of executives um that are struggling to keep balance to everything, to be perfectly honest, especially with the modern working environment, a lot of people working from home, the new challenges that that's brought to people. And again, we're somewhere down that journey now, and people are have learned to do good things and some maybe uh got into some bad habits, and now there's the threat of feeling of threat of going actually back to an office somewhere. So uh how do you again? We would we talk about the work and the life blend and balance, but how do you unwind? Like what what does what does unwinding look like for Floyd? Do you did you have what number of activities do you still do to keep your keep yourself sane with all the things that you've got going on?

SPEAKER_00 1:08:39

I first of all, I'm really fortunate. I do a job I love. So that really does help. I think that's you know, you know, a lot of the things I do now I would do for free. So if I could afford to do them all for free, I probably would do. Um, so I think that really does help doing something that you genuinely love, uh, mitigates it. Of course, the downside to that is then it can become a 24-7 job as well, because you're constantly doing things. So there is a key key balance here. I think physical fitness for me has always been a massive driver in my life, playing sport, doing things where I can just lose myself. And the minute I do any training, nothing matters but doing the training. And so I can literally declutter. I'll be on a bike probably after I've spoken to you just for an hour, just to get my body back into sync. So that to me is a really great de-stressor. I like to write. So I've um I've written a novel as well called Jesse Gargas of the Compass, which is um something I was really, really, really proud of writing. Um, I've got a number of different things that I want to do and develop with that particular uh book. So I tend to do things along those lines. Um, I like doing study, so I still like to study and think about learning more about what I'm doing, why I think it works, and and getting more research into that area. And then, of course, I'm just sat here where I am sat, there is a piano and there's a guitar there to start to learn to play those instruments. I'm not ending good at them, um, but I will be in the next four or five years. So, again, it's just doing things like that and um taking breaks, again, taking if you take a mini break long weekend, I think that's vital just to declutter the mind.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:13

Yeah, brilliant. I mean, I I'm not surprised by that long list of things that you've got to manage all of that. Um, you know, again, it's it's testament to you, really. Uh, I did notice the guitar in the background earlier. Um especially now I know it's it's it's a new school you're learning. I won't ask you to uh throw us a few power chords, but uh I went down that journey some time ago and uh yeah, a lot of time for for picking up a guitar and learning that. Um I guess last question then, and again, um people listening, there's a there's so much information. And for those that have the time uh you know to review what you've gone over, there's going to be so much gold in there. But for people listening, what what's the thing that they can do tomorrow from what you've said to start making a difference in pursuing what it is that they want to achieve? So, what's that? What's the things that they can start today, even uh, to to impact the things that they want to achieve? What's the things with the best game?

SPEAKER_00 1:11:06

Honestly, I would just keep this super simple. Uh and what I will send through to you as well is I'll send you through a map that people can use where you can just look at it and and think, right, actually, what is my soup? So, no limitations. What do I want to do personally and professionally in the next three, five, 10 years? Just really look at and spend time to think about you and what your dreams and aspirations are. What would you really love to do with no limits? So don't limit yourself, just draw things down. Do you want to fly a plane? Do you want to travel? Just let those things explore. And what do you want to do professionally? Do you need more skills? Do you want to take over a business? Do you want to do a different business? Just allow yourself to dream and then start to think great, I love that. How do I break that journey down? What are your values? And what I what do I need to do mentally and physically? How physically fit I in a number of key areas: sleep, hydration, exercise, diet, mindfulness, and then what are my mental resilience strategies by just thinking about your own compass and then thinking this is my journey through life, it's my map. What does it now look like? And honestly, five to ten minutes just thinking about those key elements, I think will open up so many different avenues for you. You'll just realize that oh, this is really simple. But actually, it's really deep as well. And the research behind all the things I've just said in that five seconds is massively deep anyway.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:32

And again, I'm I'm well aware that that all of that, those strategies and thoughts and how to do that is in the um in your Compass uh Warrior Strategist and you book, isn't it? So people can find that in there too. But uh we'd appreciate the links. I'll I'll put them all in the show notes, Floyd. Um, again, just to close this up, uh thank you so much for all of that. Uh, you know, somebody that truly embodies the ethos of the unrelenting pursuit of excellence, always growing, always learning. Um, you've taught me a lot, and I've used so many of those nuggets that I learned 20 odd years ago now um throughout my career. And again, I look forward to keeping an eye on all that you do. Um, people can find you, Floyd, on Floydwoodrow.com, uh, amongst other places. Um, but have you got any kind of final comments for uh the listeners?

SPEAKER_00 1:13:20

Oh, honestly, really enjoy talking to you and Gary. And as I said, we'll make sure that we get you to come and have a look at some of the programs that we're doing. I'm sure there's loads of other things we can bounce off. And yeah, I'm on LinkedIn and on Twitter. Please connect. That'll be great.

SPEAKER_01 1:13:32

Yeah, brilliant, Floyd. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:34

Pleasure. Take care.